Bicycle-carrier



(No Model.)

B. BON HAM.

BICYCLE CARRIER.

No. 586,266. Patented July 13,1897.

' INVENTOR WITNESSES [ZZ(UI{,fi0l/% U BY at Wm ATTORNEY n4: NORRIS PETERS co. Puma-urns wumnarou, n. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDIVIN BONHAM, OF GREENIVIOH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM IV. ROBBINS, OF BRIDGETON, NEXV JERSEY.

BICYCLE-CARRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 586,266, dated July 13, 1897.

Application filed September 21, 1896. Serial No. 606,494. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN BONHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Greenwich, in the county of Cumberland and State of New Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Bicycle-Oarriers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in carriers for bicycles, and has for its object to provide a device of this description which may be readily adjusted to any design of bicycle, quickly secured in place, and when so secured will be as firm and rigid as though it formed a part of the bicyole-frame, and may be also quickly removed from the bicycle when not desired for further use.

With these ends in view this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafterset forth and then specifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same, its construction and operation will now be described in detail, referring to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure l is a perspective of a portion of a 0 bicycle-frame having my improvement attached thereto, and Fig. 2 a side elevation of the same.

In carrying out this invention a framework A is provided, over which is formed the re- 3 5 ceptacle B, preferably of wire-netting, and to the back of the receptacle, which stands at an angle equal to the angle of the head of the bicycle-frame, are secured the blocks 0. These blocks are notched and protected by 0 strips of belt or other soft material, so that when they are fitted to the head of'the machine they will not injure the surface thereof.

Two chains D lead from convenient portions of the frame A and have their inner ends attached to the bridge E, which is notched at F to fit the contour of the top brace of the machine, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. This brace is carried upon the outer end of the rod G, said rod having its inner end threaded to receive the yoke II, the forked end of which is adapted to partially embrace the rear portion of the top lug I, from which it will be seen that to secure the carrier to a bicycle it is only necessary to place the blocks 0 against the front portion of the head, and after ad- 5 5 j usting the yoke to the proper length by turning it upon the threaded rod said yoke is placed against the top lug and its outer end forced downward, so as to draw the chains taut with sufficient strain to bind the blocks against the head,and when the point of attachment of these chains to the bridge passes below the line upon which the yoke bears against the lug the bridge will be drawn downward by the tension upon said chains until coming in contact with the upper side of the top brace, thereby locking the device in place after the manner of a toggle-joint passingits dead-center. When thus attached, it is obvious that the greater the strain brought to bear upon 7o the chains the more firmly will the locking device be held in position, and therefore the receptacle will be capable of carrying any weight which its structure will stand Without liability of loosening its hold upon the bicycleframe. The receptacle is prevented from slipping downward by the angle at which the head of the bicycle-frame stands, as for it to do so would necessitate an immediate and considerable lengthening of the chains, which so long as said chains are capable of withstanding strains brought thereon would be impossible.

To remove the carrier it is only necessary to force the bridge upward until the chains have passed the dead-center of the yoke, when they will be slackened, permitting their passage over the handle-bars in the removal of the receptacle.

The adjustability of the yoke upon the rod G permits the adaptation of the device to the various designs of bicycles, and as this may be quickly accomplished and varied as occasion requires my improvement is adapted for use upon all classes of machines.

If found desirable, the curved notch in the bridge may be protected by a strip of belt or other suitable material, so as not to mar the surface of the top brace, and this is also true of the yoke.

By the use of my improvement a bicycle may be utilized for the delivery of small parcels, such as are sent from a dry-goods or grocery store, as well as the delivery of papers, mail, and the like, without any alteration whatever of the machine to which it is attached, and also when the bicycle is not used for this service the removal of the receptacle will put it in the same condition as though it had never been so used. 1

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful is 1. A bicycle-carrier, consisting of a recepa bridge to which said chains are attached said bridge having a notch adapted to fit the curvature of the top brace, athreaded rod carried by the bridge, and a yoke run upon said rod so as to be adjustable thereon for increasin g the distance between the yoke and bridge, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In combination with a bicycle-frame, a receptacle having notched blocks adapted to fit the head of the machine, and a locking de- Vice attached to said receptacle by chains, the outer end of which is adapted to bear against the rear portion of the head and the inner end. to be swung downward so as to cause the chains to passthe point at which the locking device bears, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

EDWIN BONHAM.

Vitnesses:

S. S. WILLIAMSON, MARK BUFORD. 

